The National Hockey League is the top of the hockey world and where all players dream of making it. Making it to the NHL is extremely challenging, its even harder to then stay up at the top of the world. Many players only get in a handful of NHL games before shifting back down to the lower levels of hockey. When it comes to professional hockey, Poland’s top league and the NHL may be the furthest apart in terms of skill, but still 27 players have appeared at both levels.

Former NHL Players

Mariusz Czerkawski: The first player to appear at the top of the hockey world and in Poland, was the best Polish player ever. Czerkawski started his career with GKS Tychy before moving over to Sweden. After drafting him in 1991, the Bruins brought him over in 1994. The playmaking forward would go on to play in 12 seasons, recording 450 points with the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Montréal Canadiens, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He played one last game with GKS Tychy in 2009 before retiring. 

Krzysztof Oliwa: The Polish hammer would be the second to play in both leagues. After coming up in the Polish junior system, the New Jersey Devils drafted the enforcer in 1993. He would play in 9 NHL seasons, putting up 1,494 penalty minutes, 180 fights, and winning the 2000 Stanley Cup. During his NHL career, he mainly played with the New Jersey Devils but also appeared with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets. He last played in Poland during the 2005 lockout, appearing with Podhale Nowy Targ for two playoff games. 

Milan Hnilička: A leader of the Czechia national team, Hnilička was one of the first two foreign players to appear with a Polish club. For a pre-season qualification tournament, SMS I Warszawa brought in the star goalie right before he debuted for the New York Rangers in 2000. He would spend the next five years in the NHL, playing 121 games with the Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers, and Los Angeles Kings. He would return to his home country in 2006 and play six more seasons before retiring. 

Tomáš Jelínek: The other former NHL player SMS I Warszawa brought in was veteran Tomáš Jelínek. The Czech forward was a star in the Czechoslovakia league. A strong showing in the 1992 Olympics and World Championships resulted in the Ottawa Senators using their 11th-round pick on the then 30-year-old. He would play for the Senators for a single season in 1993, putting up 13 points in 49 games. He would return to Europe for the remainder of his career, including the 2000 tournament with SMS I Warszawa, which was part of his final season. 

Jason Lafrenière: Once a top prospect, Lafrenière would play in five NHL seasons after being a second-round pick of the Québec Nordiques in 1985. With the Nordiques, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning, he recorded 97 points in 161 games. Starting in 1996, he began a journeyman career that would take him all across the lower leagues of Europe, from Italy to Spain and so many in between. The Canadian forward finished this journey by playing in two games with Podhale Nowy Targ before retiring in 2005. 

Roman Šimíček: A star with Vítkovice in Czechia, he would lead the club throughout the 90s before moving to HPK in Finland. After two years in Finland, the Pittsburgh Penguins would draft the then 29-year-old in the 9th round of the 2000 NHL draft. Šimíček would play two seasons with the Penguins and Minnesota Wild, appearing in 63 games. He would return to Europe in 2003, mainly playing once again with Vítkovice. Starting in 2011, he signed with GKS Tychy. The Czech forward was potentially the best former NHLer in terms of their Polish performance. He would play in three seasons, recording 113 points in 117 games and winning a silver medal in 2011. This would be the forward’s final stop, as he retired in 2013 and went into coaching. 

Peter Bartoš: A member of the Slovakia national team, Bartoš would be drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 7th round of the 2000 NHL draft at 26 years old. A top scorer in Czechia, he would not have the same success in his single NHL season. Bartoš only appeared in 13 games with the Wild in 2001. He returned to Czechia and Slovakia for the remainder of his career, except for a season in Poland. In 2013, he signed with KH Sanok and would lead the club in scoring with 52 points in 47 games. He reappeared for Sanok in 2019 and played six games when the club played in the Slovak third division. 

Wojtek Wolski: When the NHL lockout started in 2012, many players fled to strong European leagues to keep up their skills. For Wojtek Wolski, it meant a chance to return to his birth country, his family had moved away from Poland when he was two. Wolski would play in 12 games for KH Sanok, recording 13 points across the PHL and Continental Cup. Wolski starred in Canada’s Ontario Hockey League, and which led him to be drafted by the Colorado Avalanche 21st overall in 2004. He would go on to play in 480 NHL games, posting 284 points with the Avalanche, Phoenix Coyotes, New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, and Washington Capitals. Wolski returned to playing in Europe starting in 2014, mainly in the Kontinental Hockey League, before retiring after the 2020 season. 

Mike Danton: Danton’s career is unique, and it’s hard to shorten it to just a paragraph. A power forward drafted in the fifth round by the New Jerseys Devils in 2000. Battling to get NHL minutes in New Jersey, he would later be traded to the St Louis Blues. After setting a career high in games played with the St Louis Blues, his NHL career would be over. Two days after the Blues’ 2004 season ended, Danton was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. The Blues’ player was in contact with someone he thought was a hitman but was a police dispatcher. He pleaded guilty and received a seven-and-a-half-year sentence. After his sentence, he would play college hockey and begin a journeyman career in Europe. At the end of the 2014 season, he would join Sanok in Poland. He would end up being the NHL player with the most games in the PHL, playing in 133 games across two and a half seasons for Sanok. He even represented Poland at two non-IIHF tournaments in 2016. Danton would play one more season in Canada in 2017 before retiring. 

Roman Tvrdon: After developing in his hometown Trencin junior system, Tvrdon would be drafted in the fifth round of the 1999 draft by the Washington Capitals. He would head over to the States in 2000 but only be in the NHL for nine games, picking up an assist. He returned to Europe in 2005, mainly playing in Slovakia and Eastern Europe. One of his stops was with Unia Oswiecim in 2014. He was a big part of the blue and white, scoring 19 goals in his 35 games. He would continue to move around Europe for a few more seasons, retiring in 2017. 

Anton Klementyev: A reliable stay-at-home defenseman, the New York Islanders drafted the Russian defenseman in 2009 during the fifth round of the draft. Klementyev would have a big 2010, making his NHL debut and representing Russia at the World Juniors. His NHL debut would be his lone NHL game, as he spent the rest of his time in the American Hockey League (AHL) before returning to Russia in 2012. In 2015, he left Russia again and joined Naprzod Janow in Poland. A strong season with Janow led to him making a late-year transfer to Sanok. In total, he played 46 PHL games, putting up 26 points. Klementyev would play several more seasons in Russia and Belarus before retiring in 2017. 

Zenon Konopka: An enforcer and agitator, Konopka was undrafted and started in the ECHL but still made it to the NHL. He spent most of his early pro career in the AHL, with NHL call-ups mixed in. Starting in 2010, he would be a full-time NHL forward and play in the league for the next five years. In total, he would play in nine NHL seasons, scoring 32 points and getting into 94 fights with the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, and Buffalo Sabres. During the 2015 offseason, the free agent forward would receive a 20-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Remaining un-signed for most of 2015, Konopka, born to a Polish father in Ontario, would sign in Poland late into the year. The Canadian forward played for Sanok in 11 games, recording three goals and 39 penalty minutes. Konopka finished his career in his father’s home country, retiring after the PHL playoffs. 

Toni Dahlman: After breaking out during his rookie year in the Liiga, the Ottawa Senators drafted Dahlman in the 9th round of the 2001 draft. He would head over to Canada’s capital and play for two seasons, spending most of the time in the AHL. Dahlman did appear in 22 games with the Senators. Dahlman would return to Finland in 2004 and play across Europe for the next 13 seasons. For 2016, he would start the season with STS Sanok and play in 22 games, recording 17 points. He would depart Sanok halfway through the year to play his final hockey games with the Braehead Clan in Scotland. 

Petr Kalus: A star of the HC Vitkovice junior system, Kalus was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the second round of the 2005 draft. He would head to North America as a teenager and spend the next six seasons there. While he mostly played in the AHL, he did get NHL appearances with the Boston Bruins in 2007 and the Minnesota Wild in 2011, playing 11 games in total. The Czech winger returned to Europe in 2012 and played with 11 teams before signing with Cracovia to end the 2017 season. He would help Cracovia to the 2017 Championship and then return for a second season and final of his career. In total, he played in 75 PHL games, recording 58 points. 

Jaroslav Kristek: After playing for his hometown Zlin’s teams during his early career, Kristek would head over to North America after being a second-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in the 1998 draft. He appeared in six NHL games in 2003 but then returned to Czechia in 2004. He would spend the remainder of his career bouncing around Europe, mainly in Belarus, Czechia, and Slovakia. He had a stop with GKS Tychy in 2017, helping the club win a Polish Cup and PHL silver medal. Kristek was third on the team in points with 34 in 43 games. The Czech forward would spend a few more years in the lower levels of France and Czechia before retiring in 2022. 

Krys Kolanos: The grandson of Polish immigrants, Kolanos was a top prospect in 2000 and would be the 19th overall pick of the Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL draft. He signed with the Coyotes and headed straight to the NHL in 2002. Unfortunately, during his rookie year, he would suffer a concussion that would affect the rest of his career. He played in the NHL for six seasons, recording 42 points in 151 games. He spent most of his career in the AHL and around Europe. To start the 2018 season, he signed with GKS Tychy, helping them to a Polish Cup and recording 17 points in 18 games. The Canadian forward would leave Tychy late in the season and play seven games in Italy before retiring. 

Pavel Vorobyov: Another 2000 NHL 1st-round class member would appear in Poland during the 2018 season. Vorobyov, a top pick of the Chicago Blackhawks out of Russia, would head over to America in 2004. He found some success with Chicago, recording 25 points in 57 NHL games from 2004 to 2006. He returned to Russia in 2007 and played in his home country until 2017. He would play in Scotland for the next two seasons until joining Cracovia Krakow for the 2018 playoffs. He was a massive aid to the red and white, posting 14 points in 13 games. The forward would play a few more seasons in Romania and Ukraine before retiring in 2021.

Tomáš Káňa: Another product of the HC Vítkovice system, Káňa was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the 2006 NHL draft. He would start to play in North America during the 2009 season. Although he spent most of his time in the ECHL, the Czech forward would play six games with the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2010 season. Káňa would return to Vítkovice in 2012 and continue playing around Europe. In 2019 he spent the year with Zaglebie Sosnowiec, recording 29 points in 39 games. He would play the next two seasons in England before joining HK Opava, where he still plays today. 

Jason Bacashihua: The lone goalie to play an NHL and PHL game, Bacashihua was a first-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2001. The American mostly played in the AHL but got in 38 NHL games across two seasons with the St Louis Blues. He would head overseas in 2013, playing in Germany, Slovakia, and South Korea before signing with Cracovia Krakow in 2019. His time in Poland would be short-lived, as he posted a .906 SV% in five appearances. Bacashihua retired in 2022 after playing a few more seasons in the lower levels of Europe. 

Jeremy Welsh: After going undrafted, Welsh was a standout forward at Union College. This would lead to him signing with the Carolina Hurricanes to end the 2012 season and make his NHL debut. The Canadian forward bounce between the NHL and AHL over the next five years, making a total of 27 NHL appearances with the Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, and St. Louis Blues. He would head to Europe starting in 2017, mainly playing in Germany’s top league. With Covid-19 canceling seasons worldwide, Welsh would sign with Cracovia Krakow to end the 2021 season. He helped Cracovia to a silver medal after scoring 17 points in 29 games. Welsh has since played in England and is currently playing in Romania. 

Paul Szczechura: An undrafted forward out of Brantford, Ontario, Szczechura would become a star for the Western Michigan Broncos in the NCAA. After college, he would do well in the AHL, earning an NHL deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2009. Over the next three seasons, he would play in 92 NHL games, recording 20 points. Starting in 2013, he would head over to the KHL, where he would be one of the top North Americans for the next eight seasons. In 2021, he didn’t sign in the offseason, instead waiting until late in the year to join GKS Tychy. On the Polish club, he was reunited with his brother Alex Szczechura, a star in Poland for the past decade. The Szczechura brothers would be a force in the playoffs, helping Tychy to a bronze medal. Paul Szczechura had 22 points in 15 games, his 15 playoff points leading the league. That time in Poland with his brother would be his final hockey games. 

Tomáš Kubalík: A product of the HC Plzen system, Kubalík was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. He would play in the Blue Jackets organization from 2011 to 2013, mainly in the AHL. He did get four points in 12 NHL games before returning to Europe in 2014. He would bounce around Europe’s top leagues until signing with GKS Katowice to finish the 2021 season. He would only play 16 games in the PHL but put up seven points. The Czech forward played a couple more seasons in the lower levels of France and Germany before retiring. 

Gilbert Brulé: One of the top prospects of 2005, Brulé was picked 6th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL draft. He would go straight from the Western Hockey League to the NHL. He wouldn’t always find a way to stay up in the NHL, but over the next nine years, he scored 45 goals and assisted on 53 in 311 NHL games with the Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, and Phoenix Coyotes. The Canadian forward moved to the KHL in 2015 and played there until 2020. He would represent Canada at the 2018 Olympics, winning a bronze medal. His final hockey stop would come in 2018, where he played with Unia Oswiecim after signing late into the season. One of the few Canadians brought in by former NHL head coach Kevin Constantine, Brule put up 7 points in 11 games.  

Victor Bartley: An undrafted defenseman out of the Western Hockey League, Bartley played in the junior league for six seasons. Earning ECHL all-star honors in 2010 and the AHL all-star honors in 2013, he would work his way up to the NHL. From 2013 to 2017, he played in 125 NHL games, recording 23 points with the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens. The Canadian defenseman spent a year in Sweden in 2018 before heading to China and spending the next two seasons with Kunlun Red Star in the KHL. In 2021, he had a short stint in Poland, playing in nine games and assisting on six goals before leaving the team for personal matters. He was one of the two former NHL players Canadian head coach Kevin Constantine brought in. Before retiring, Bartley would play one more year in China and then a final season in the ECHL. 

Ty Wishart: One of the top defensemen to come out of Western Canada in the mid-2000s, Wishart would be the 6th overall pick of the San Jose Sharks in the 2006 NHL draft. He would never play with San Jose; and was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. His time in North American professional hockey would be spent mainly in the AHL, but he did play in 26 NHL games with the Lightning and New York Islanders. He headed overseas from 2013 to 2022, primarily playing in Czechia and Germany. To start the 2022 season, he signed with Unia Osiweicm. He would only appear in nine PHL games before returning to Germany to finish the year. Since the end of the 2022 season, and he has played in the Australian hockey league with the Melbourne Mustangs. 

Roman Graborenko: A big Belarusian defenseman, Graborenko would head over to North America early in his junior days. While he would not be drafted, he would earn an entry deal with the New Jersey Devils. He would spend almost all of his time in the AHL, but he did get in an NHL game during the 2015 season. He would return to Europe in 2017, playing mainly in the KHL and Czechia. For 2023, he made the trip to Poland, initially signing with Unia Oswiecim but then transferring to Cracovia Krakow after six games. In total, he played 33 PHL games and scored 12 points. After not playing in 2024, Graborenko is playing back in his home country. 

Vojtech Polak: After playing for HC Karlovy Vary for his youth, junior, and early professional career, Polak was drafted in the second round of the 2003 draft by the Dallas Stars. He headed to the States in 2006 and played five NHL games with the Stars over the next three years. During the 2008 season, he chose to return to HC Karlovy Vary. He would spend the next seven seasons with some of Europe’s top teams and leagues. Later in his career, he dropped to the lower levels of Europe and would be a point-per-game player or better in Romania, England, and Poland. His stop in Poland was with Cracovia Krakow in 2023. As assistant captain with Cracovia, he scored 11 goals and assisted on 21 in 33 games. Polak would play four more games in the second level of Czechia in 2024 before retiring.

Joe Morrow: Morrow was a star for the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Hockey League as a junior player. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins 23rd overall in the first round of the 2011 NHL draft. Morrow would be traded twice to start his professional hockey career. Before he even played an NHL game, he was traded to Dallas for Brendan Morrow (not related) and then to Boston as part of the Tyler Seguin blockbuster. Morrow would play 173 NHL games in total, picking up 34 points (10G-24A-32PTS). During his NHL career he played for the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, and Winnipeg Jets. The Canadian defenseman would leave North America in 2020 and primarily play in the KHL, with additional stops in the top leagues of England, Finland and Switzerland. Among NHL alumni who have played in Poland, he will have the sixth-most NHL games.

NHL Draft Picks

Mariusz Czerkawski (F), NHL draft: 1991 round 5 #106 overall by Boston Bruins

Poland: GKS Tychy (1989-1991, 2009)

Krzysztof Oliwa (F), NHL draft: 1993 round 3 #65 overall by New Jersey Devils

Poland: Gornik 1920 Katowice (1991), GKS Tychy (1992), & Podhale Nowy Targ (2005)

Patryk Pysz (F), NHL draft: 1993 round 4 #102 overall by Chicago Blackhawks

Poland: Podhale Nowy Targ (1992)

Jiri Antonin (D), NHL draft: 1995 round 9 #213 overall by Edmonton Oilers

Poland: BTH Bydgoszcz (1999) & SKH Sanok (2000)

Tomas Jelinek (F), NHL draft: 1992 round 11 #242 overall by Ottawa Senators

Poland: SMS I Warszawa (2000)

Milan Hnilička (G), NHL draft: 1991 round 4 #70 overall by New York Islanders

Poland: SMS I Warszawa (2000)

Marcin Kolusz (D/F), NHL draft: 2003 round 5 #157 overall by Minnesota Wild

Poland: Podhale Nowy Targ (2001-2011, 2018-2019, 2022, 2025), KH Sanok (2012-2013), 1928 KTH Krynica (2014), GKS Tychy (2014-2017), KH GKS Katowice (2020-2023), JKH GKS Jastrzebie (2024), & Unia Oswiecim (2025) 

Robin Bacul (F), NHL draft: 1997 round 7 #173 overall by Ottawa Senators

Poland: GKS Tychy (2005-2010) & Zaglebie Sosnowiec (2011)

Pavel Rajnoha (D), NHL draft: 1992 round 7 #150 overall by Calgary Flames

Poland: TKH Torun (2005)

Jason Lafrenière (F), NHL draft: 1985 round 2 #36 overall by Québec Nordiques

Poland: Podhale Nowy Targ (2005)

Marian Kacir (F), NHL draft: 1993 round 4 #81 overall by Tampa Bay Lightning

Poland: Podhale Nowy Targ (2006-2009), TKH Torun (2009), & Naprzod Janow (2010-2011)

Richard Safarik (F), NHL draft: 1993 round 5 #116 overall by Buffalo Sabres

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2006-2007)

Marek Ivan (F), NHL draft: 1997 round 9 #244 overall by St. Louis Blues

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2006)

Rudolf Vercik (F), NHL draft: 1994 round 2 #52 overall by New York Rangers

Poland: TKH Torun (2007-2008) & Cracovia Krakow (2008-2010)

Michal Pinc (F), NHL draft: 2000 round 5 #142 overall by San Jose Sharks

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2007)

Alexander Hult (F), NHL draft: 2003 round 8 #236 overall by San Jose Sharks

Poland: Stoczniowiec Gdansk (2007)

Marek Priechodsky (D), NHL draft: 2000 round 7 #222 overall by Tampa Bay Lightning

Poland: Podhale Nowy Targ (2008-2009)

Jan Steber (F), NHL draft: 2004 round 8 #252 overall by Toronto Maple Leafs

Poland: Stoczniowiec Gdansk (2010-2011), GKS Tychy (2014), JKH GKS Jastrzebie (2015), & Lotos PKH Gdansk (2017-2020)

Petr Dvorak (F), NHL draft: 2002 round 4 #118 overall by Washington Capitals

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2011-2015)

Roman Simicek (F), NHL draft: 2000 round 9 #273 overall by Pittsburgh Penguins

Poland: GKS Tychy (2011-2013)

Nick Sucharski (F), NHL draft: 2006 round 5 #136 overall by Columbus Blue Jackets

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2012) & HC GKS Katowice (2013)

Patrik Valcak (F), NHL draft: 2003 round 4 #129 overall by Boston Bruins

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2013, 2015)

Peter Bartos (F), NHL draft: 2000 round 7 #214 overall by Minnesota Wild

Poland: KH Sanok (2013) & KH 58 Sanok (2019)

Angel Nikolov (D), NHL draft: 1994 round 2 #37 overall by San Jose Sharks

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2013)

Jonathan Zion (D), NHL draft: 1999 round 4 #110 overall by Toronto Maple Leafs

Poland: GKS Tychy (2013)

Wojtek Wolski (F), NHL draft: 2004 round 1 #21 overall by Colorado Avalanche

Poland: KH Sanok (2013)

Radoslav Kropac (F), NHL draft: 1994 round 10 #260 overall by New York Rangers

Poland: GKS Tychy (2013)

Mike Danton (F), NHL draft: 2000 round 5 #135 overall by New Jersey Devils

Poland: KH Sanok (2014-2016)

Branislav Fábry (F), NHL draft: 2003 round 2 #65 overall by Buffalo Sabres

Poland: Polonia Bytom (2014-2015) & Orlik Opole (2015-2016)

Martin Richter (D), NHL draft: 2000 round 9 #269 overall by New York Rangers

Poland: KH Sanok (2014-2015)

Roman Tvrdon (F), NHL draft: 1999 round 5 #132 overall by Washington Capitals

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2014)

Anthony Aquino (F), NHL draft: 2001 round 3 #92 overall by Dallas Stars

Poland: KH Sanok (2014)

Miroslav Durak (D), NHL draft: 1999 round 8 #220 overall by Nashville Predators

Poland: GKS Tychy (2014)

Ivan Dornic (F), NHL draft: 2003 round 6 #176 overall by New York Rangers

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2014)

Bryan Pitton (G), NHL draft: 2006 round 5 #133 overall by Edmonton Oilers

Poland: KH Sanok (2015)

Michael Cichy (F), NHL draft: 2009 round 7 #199 overall by Montréal Canadiens

Poland: KH Sanok (2015-2016), Orlik Opole (2016,2017), GKS Tychy (2018-2022), Unia Oswiecim (2023), & Podhale Nowy Targ (2024)

David Turon (D), NHL draft: 2002 round 4 #122 overall by Toronto Maple Leafs

Poland: KH Sanok (2015), Cracovia Krakow (2016), Polonia Bytom (2017-2019), & Zaglebie Sosnowiec (2019-2020)

Anton Klementyev (D), NHL draft: 2009 round 5 #122 overall by New York Islanders

Poland: Naprzod Janow (2015) & KH Sanok (2015)

Sergei Kolosov (D/F), NHL draft: 2004 round 5 #151 overall by Detroit Red Wings

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2015) & Orlik Opole (2016)

Kris Hogg (F), NHL draft: 2004 round 4 #121 overall by Calgary Flames

Poland: KH Sanok (2015)

Sergei Kukushkin (F), NHL draft: 2004 round 7 #218 overall by Dallas Stars

Poland: KS Torun (2016-2017) & Polonia Bytom (2019)

Bryan Cameron (F), NHL draft: 2007 round 3 #82 overall by Los Angeles Kings

Poland: STS Sanok (2016)

Benjamin Breault (F), NHL draft: 2006 round 7 #207 overall by Buffalo Sabres

Poland: STS Sanok (2016)

Toni Dahlman (F), NHL draft: 2001 round 9 #286 overall by Ottawa Senators

Poland: STS Sanok (2016)

Jason Missiaen (G), NHL draft: 2008 round 4 #116 overall by Montréal Canadiens

Poland: STS Sanok (2016)

Joni Puurula (G), NHL draft: 2000 round 8 #243 overall by Montréal Canadiens

Poland: STS Sanok (2016)

Petr Kalus (F), NHL draft: 2005 round 2 #39 overall by Boston Bruins

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2017-2018)

Lukas Zib (D), NHL draft: 1995 round 3 #57 overall by Edmonton Oilers

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2017-2018)

Petr Kubos (D), NHL draft: 1997 round 8 #197 overall by Montréal Canadiens

Poland: GKS Tychy (2017)

Jaroslav Kristek (F), NHL draft: 1998 round 2 #50 overall by Buffalo Sabres

Poland: GKS Tychy (2017)

Andrew McPherson (F), NHL draft: 1999 round 9 #261 overall by Pittsburgh Penguins

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2017)

Ned Lukacevic (F/D), NHL draft: 2004 round 4 #110 overall by Los Angeles Kings

Poland: KH GKS Katowice (2017)

Matus Kostur (G), NHL draft: 2000 round 5 #164 overall by New Jersey Devils

Poland: KH GKS Katowice (2017)

Sergei Ogorodnikov (F), NHL draft: 2004 round 3 #82 overall by New York Islanders

Poland: Podhale Nowy Targ (2018)

Krys Kolanos (F), NHL draft: 2000 round 1 #19 overall by Phoenix Coyotes

Poland: GKS Tychy (2018)

Pavel Vorobyov (F), NHL draft: 2000 round 1 #11 overall by Chicago Blackhawks

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2018)

Václav Meidl (F), NHL draft: 2004 round 3 #81 overall by Nashville Predators

Poland: Orlik Opole (2018)

Alexander Golovin (F), NHL draft: 2001 round 6 #174 overall by Chicago Blackhawks

Poland: Orlik Opole (2019) & Lotos PKH Gdansk (2019-2020)

Andrei Mikhnov (F), NHL draft: 2002 round 2 #62 overall by St. Louis Blues

Poland: GKS Tychy (2019)

Marek Tvrdon (F), NHL draft: 2011 round 4 #115 overall by Detroit Red Wings

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2019-2020)

Peter Fabus (F), NHL draft: 2000 round 9 #281 overall by Phoenix Coyotes

Poland: JKH GKS Jastrzebie (2019)

Tomas Kana (F), NHL draft: 2006 round 2 #31 overall by St. Louis Blues

Poland: Zaglebie Sosnowiec (2019)

Miroslav Kopřiva (G), NHL draft: 2003 round 6 #187 overall by Minnesota Wild

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2019-2020)

Evan Cowley (G), NHL draft: 2013 round 4 #92 overall by Florida Panthers

Poland: MH Automatyka Gdansk (2019)

Jason Bacashihua (G), NHL draft: 2001 round 1 #26 overall by Dallas Stars

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2019)

Zdeněk Bahenský (F), NHL draft: 2004 round 3 #73 overall by New York Rangers

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2020)

Vyacheslav Trukhno (F), NHL draft: 2005 round 4 #120 overall by Edmonton Oilers

Poland: GKS Tychy (2020)

Ryan Glenn (D), NHL draft: 2000 round 5 #145 overall by Montréal Canadiens

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2021-2022)

Zack Phillips (F), NHL draft: 2011 round 1 #28 overall by Minnesota Wild

Poland: JKH GKS Jastrzebie (2021) & Unia Oswiecim (2022)

Richard Nejezchleb (F), NHL draft: 2014 round 5 #122 overall by New York Rangers

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2021)

Taylor Doherty (D), NHL draft: 2009 round 2 #57 overall by San Jose Sharks

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2021)

Jyri Marttinen (D), NHL draft: 2002 round 8 #238 overall by Calgary Flames

Poland: KH GKS Katowice (2021)

Brycen Martin (D), NHL draft: 2014 round 3 #74 overall by Buffalo Sabres

Poland: GKS Tychy (2021)

Kirill Lyamin (D), NHL draft: 2004 round 2 #58 overall by Ottawa Senators

Poland: KH GKS Katowice (2021)

Brett McKenzie (F), NHL draft: 2016 round 7 #194 overall by Vancouver Canucks

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2021)

Tomas Kubalik (F), NHL draft: 2008 round 5 #135 overall by Columbus Blue Jackets

Poland: KH GKS Katowice (2021)

Gilbert Brulé (F), NHL draft: 2005 round 1 #6 overall by Columbus Blue Jackets

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2021)

Jesse Dudas (D), NHL draft: 2006 round 6 #159 overall by Columbus Blue Jackets

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2022)

Ty Wishart (D), NHL draft: 2006 round 1 #16 overall by San Jose Sharks

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2022)

Anton Zlobin (F), NHL draft: 2012 round 6 #173 overall by Pittsburgh Penguins

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2022)

Vojtech Polak (F), NHL draft: 2003 round 2 #36 overall by Dallas Stars

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2023)

Juraj Simek (F), NHL draft: 2006 round 6 #167 overall by Vancouver Canucks

Poland: GKS Katowice (2023)

Matias Sointu (F), NHL draft: 2008 round 7 #182 overall by Tampa Bay Lightning

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2023)

Jack Walker (F), NHL draft: 2016 round 6 #152 overall by Toronto Maple Leafs

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2023)

Marcus Kallionkieli (F), NHL draft: 2019 round 5 #139 overall by Vegas Golden Knights

Poland: STS Sanok (2024) & GKS Katowice (2025)

Martin Látal (F), NHL draft: 2006 round 5 #131 overall by Phoenix Coyotes

Poland: Cracovia Krakow (2024)

Andreas Söderberg (D), NHL draft: 2014 round 5 #148 overall by Chicago Blackhawks

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2025-2026)

Julius Vähätalo (F), NHL draft: 2014 round 6 #166 overall by Detroit Red Wings

Poland: KH Torun (2025) 

Andrei Buyalsky (F), NHL draft: 2021 round 3 #92 by Colorado Avalanche

Poland: Polonia Bytom (2026)

Jesper Eliasson (G), NHL draft: 2018 round 3 #84 overall by Detroit Red Wings

Poland: GKS Katowice (2026)

Joe Morrow (D), NHL draft: 2011 round 1 #23 overall by Pittsburgh Penguins

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2026)

Nick Moutrey (F), NHL draft: 2013 round 4 #105 overall by Columbus Blue Jackets

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2026)

Reece Scarlett (D), NHL draft: 2011 round 6 #159 overall by New Jersey Devils

Poland: Unia Oswiecim (2026)

Emergency Back-Up Golie 

While Zane Kalemba wasn’t drafted and didn’t play an NHL game, he did make it to the league. Kalemba served as an emergency backup goalie for the Winnipeg Jets on March 8th, 2018. He was the starting goalie for HC GKS Katowice in 2013.

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